JPS62261353A - Apparatus for positioning scanning probe in space and targetdestrucing pulse generator having said apparatus incorporated therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for positioning an exploratory probe in space, for example an ultrasonic probe. This device comprises an essentially rigid arm (20) whose first end (21) is articulated relative to a support holder (10) by two perpendicular articulation spindles (24, 26) and the exploratory probe (2) is mounted on a support element (30) connected to the second end (22) of the arm by at least two articulation spindles (32, 34). The support element (30) of the exploratory probe is connected to the second end (22) of the arm by means of a set of four articulation spindles (32, 34, 36, 38) which are successively disposed perpendicular to each other and in space in such a manner as to occupy a limited volume in the immediate vicinity of the exploratory probe. This device thus offers an ability for unlimited positioning in space of the exploratory probe within a space or volume which is limited or confined, which constitutes an essential technical advantage for locating targets such as concretions, renal or biliary calculi with a view to their destruction. <IMAGE>

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a scanning probe having an articulated joint assembly which is three-dimensionally arranged to fit within a restricted spatial volume and which is preferably fluid-tight. A device (instrument) for positioning in space and a tissue in which this device is incorporated,
This invention relates to a pulse generator for destroying targets such as gallstones and kidney stones.

Prior art Lieber, U.S. Pat. That is, a high frequency shock wave device having a truncated ellipsoidal reflector in which pulses are generated by an arc is disclosed.

The biggest problem in practice is to perfectly correctly position the target to be destroyed at the second focal point of the ellipse.

For this purpose, the target to be destroyed, e.g.
In particular, there is a need to accurately measure and locate gallstones and kidney stones ("stones").

Various scanning probes can be used for target positioning and positioning, such as X-ray or ultrasound type probes.

For example, the ultrasonic diagnostic scanning probe described in French Patent No. 2.502.485 essentially has a rigid arm with a 21 end and a second end.

This first end is articulated to the support frame by at least one pivot shaft 7, preferably at least two pivot shafts.

The scanning probe is mounted on a support element connected to the second end of the arm by at least two mutually perpendicular pivot axes.

The scanning arm is mounted for rotation by a special joint whose axis is aligned with the arm. Furthermore, the first end of the arm is connected to the support element by another arm.

It will be readily appreciated that since there are only two pivot axes at the second end of the arm articulated to the support element of the probe, the number of degrees of freedom in the positioning of this probe is limited.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention This problem is essential in a shock wave generator that focuses shock waves on a target. This leads to a major practical drawback of large blockage (U.S. Patent No. 2.5).
No. 59.227 and French Patent No. 2.247.19
(See No. 5).

Similarly, the scanning probe positioning device disclosed in French Patent No. 2.474.186
A disadvantage is that the movement of the probe at the second end of the arm articulated to the element supporting the probe is restricted.

The probe must be able to be positioned at any spatial position in the immediate vicinity.

This is not possible with the positioning devices described in the above-mentioned publications.

The scanning probe positioning device described in EP 0 169 311 is complex and large in construction and has the same drawbacks as mentioned above.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems by providing a device for positioning a scanning probe in space so that the scanning probe can be positioned within the maximum possible range in the space immediately adjacent to the scanning probe. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for positioning a scanning probe in space, which allows the probe to be immersed in a fluid, especially a liquid such as oil or water, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems. It's about doing.

Means to solve problems These problems are solved for the first time by the present invention.

That is, the scanning probe provided by the present invention,
For example, a device that positions an ultrasound probe in space is
an essentially rigid arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being articulated to a support frame by at least one, preferably at least two, pivot axes, the scanning probe having at least mounted on a support element connected to the second end of the arm by two mutually orthogonal pivot axes, the feature being that said element supporting the scanning probe has at least three pivot axes arranged at right angles to each other; , preferably coupled to the second end of the arm by an assembly of four pivot axes, said assembly being three-dimensionally arranged so as to occupy a limited spatial volume in the immediate vicinity of the scanning probe; It is in. This provides the great technical advantage of allowing complete freedom in positioning the scanning probe within the limitations, ie narrow spaces, which are often a problem in practice when using the above-mentioned devices.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the articulation joint assembly at the second end of the arm is sealed against fluids, especially liquids, such that it can be submerged in fluids, especially liquids such as water or oil.

If the device for positioning the scanning probe of the invention in space is of the type with a total of six pivot axes, four of the pins are located at the second end of the arm.

In a preferred embodiment, the first, l'lK attachment axis, which is held rigidly at the second end of the arm, is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm. The second pivot axis from the second end of the arm is in a plane perpendicular to the first pivot axis that is different from the plane of rotation of the arm defined by the articulation joint held at the first end of the arm. is preferred.

A third pivot axis from the second end of the arm is arranged through a forward bend connecting element such that the third pivot axis is disposed outside the right-angled elbow defined by the first and second rotation axes and on the same side as the pivot surface of the arm. Preferably, the second pivot shaft is connected to the second pivot shaft.

A fourth pivot axis that is preferably present is a pivot axis that allows rotation of the scanning probe, the axis of rotation of this pin being perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the arm and extending from the second end of the arm. Preferably, it is spatially offset with respect to the pivot axis of one pivot shaft.

With the above, all the above technical advantages are achieved.

The invention will be better understood from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus according to the invention, designated by the reference numeral 1, for positioning a scanning probe, designated by the reference numeral 2, comprises: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is combined with a pulse generator for destroying targets such as tissues, bile concentrates, kidney stones, etc., as indicated by the reference numeral 10. The basic components of this device are xSySz 3
an elliptical reflector, designated 12, movable in space along two axes; The structure of this reflector is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,227, French Patent No.
No. 7.195 or French Patent No. 86 according to this application
No. 01380.

The movement of the ellipsoidal reflector 12 in space is controlled automatically by coupling via conductive lines 13 to an automatic control device 14 incorporating a computer. A scanning probe 2, for example, an ultrasound probe that scans a fan-shaped tomographic plane, sends the information it asks for to a display 16 via a conductor 15, so that a target 18 such as a gallstone or a stone can be observed on the screen 17. is being done. The position of the target 18 relative to the apex of the sector section is given by the values of a and b in a conventional manner well known to those skilled in the ultrasound or echographic arts.

These single lines aSb are entered into the computer using the keyboard 19, and the computer makes calculations for displacing the reflector 12 and accurately positioning the target 18 at the second focal point of the ellipse.

This allows precise localization and positioning of targets to be destroyed, such as gallstones or kidney stones.

The precise position measurement and positioning of the target to be destroyed can be easily carried out by means of the positioning device 1 according to the invention, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIG.

The device 1 for positioning a scanning probe 2, for example an ultrasound probe, comprises an essentially rigid arm 20 having a first end 21 and a second end 22.

The first end 21 is articulated to the support frame 11 of said device IO by at least one, preferably at least two, pivot shafts 24.26 as shown.

These two pivot axes 24,26 are arranged at right angles to each other as shown in FIG. The details will be explained later.

The scanning probe 2 is attached to a support element 30 connected to said second end 22 by at least two pivot axes 32, 34, 36, 38 arranged at right angles to each other.

The feature of the positioning device of the present invention is that the scanning probe 2
There are at least three, preferably four, elements 30 arranged at right angles to each other as shown.
is connected to the second end of the arm 20 by an assembly of three pivot shafts 32, 34, 36, 38, which assembly provides a range of space (
volume) 40.

As can be seen from the preferred embodiment shown in IZI, the positioning device 1 of the invention has six pivot axes 24.26.32.3.
4.36.38, of which 4 3
It will be appreciated that the feature is that 2.34.36.38 are located at the second end of the arm 20.

The structure of each joint will be explained below. First, the first end 21 of the arm 20 will be explained.

By referring to FIG. 3, the first end 2 of the arm 20
It will be seen that 1 is articulated to the frame ll of 1 and 10 above in the following manner.

The first end 21 of the arm 20 is connected to the horizontally arranged shaft 5.
It is fixed to a wheel 50 which is rotatably mounted relative to C.

This wheel 50 has a rotationally controlling lug 54 on its outer periphery, and therefore at an eccentric position, on which one end 56a of a connecting rod 56 is mounted.

The other end 56b of connection +1 is attached to the lug 58 of the cylindrical element 64, which is integral with a carriage 60 which is mounted for vertical movement within a cavity 62. Said cylindrical element) 611 is connected to a fixed cylindrical element 68 connected to the frame 11 by conventional means 70, such as screws, via a ball bearing arrangement 66, with said horizontal axis) 52+F perpendicular to the vertical axis Y-Y. It is installed so that the enclosure rotates.

The carriage 60 is constantly biased upwardly by at least one return element 72, for example a spring, and a counterweight suspended from the carriage 60, for example by a cable 76 wrapped around two guide rolls 78,80. 74, it is constantly biased downward. Therefore, the weight of the positioning device of the present invention is balanced such that the arm can be easily manipulated by manually controlling the positioning device and the arm can be freely maintained in a predetermined position. There is.

The counterweight 74 slides vertically by a guide rod 82.

In short, the arm 20 is mounted for articulation relative to the frame 11 in a vertical plane and in a horizontal plane by two articulation axes 24.2G.

Referring now to FIG. 11, it can be seen that the second end 22 of arm 20 supports a cylindrical component 90. As shown in FIG.

A cylindrical sleeve 92 is rotatably supported inside this cylindrical component 90 via a ball bearing 94 . Therefore, this sleeve 92 is rotatably supported relative to the second end 22 of the arm 20. One end of this sleeve 92 terminates in an annular shoulder 96 for securing a cylindrical coupling element 98. A tubular element 100 is fastened to the cylindrical coupling element 98 transversely, ie at right angles to the axis of rotation of the sleeve 92 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm 20 . A further cylindrical part 102 is rotatably mounted around the tubular element 100 via a ball bearing 103, and the free a of this part 102 is
JI02a has a curved connecting element 104 as shown in FIG.
is fixed. This element 104 essentially lies in a plane perpendicular to the arm 20 passing through the axis 38.

A first pivot shaft 38 is secured to the second end of the arm 20 and is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

Similarly, a tubular element 100 extending from the second end of arm 20
A second pivot axis 36 defined by is located in a plane perpendicular to the first pivot axis 38 . This plane is arm 20
The plane of rotation of the arm 20 defined by said pivot axis 24, which is held firmly at the first end of the There is.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the free end 104 of the pivot shaft 36 of the curved coupling element 104 opposite the cylindrical part 102
It can be seen that a cylindrical part 106 is supported within the cylindrical part 106, within which a sleeve 108 is rotatably supported by suitable devices such as ball bearings 110. This sleeve 108 also has an annular shoulder 112, by means of which an intermediate part 114 with an L-shaped cross section can be secured. That is, the bottom surface of the bow is fixed to the shoulder portion 112. This L
A suitable rotating device, a through hole 116 formed in one of the
Element 3 for supporting a scanning probe 2, such as an ultrasound probe, for example via a ball bearing 118
0 is rotatably mounted.

That is, the third pivot shaft 34 in front of the second end 22 of the arm 20 connects to the second pivot shaft 36 via the curved connection element 104;
The two axes 38, 36 are connected on the outside of the right angle elbows and on the same side with respect to the pivot plane of the arm 20. On the other hand, the fourth pin 32 is arranged at right angles to the rotating shaft 34,
This axis of rotation 34 is also perpendicular to the pivot plane of arm 20.

A preferred feature of the positioning device of the invention is that the shaft assembly 32, 34, 36, 38 of the second end 22 of the arm 20 is fluid-tight, in particular fluid-tight, and It is designed so that it can be soaked in water.

To this end, every rotating shaft or joint has one or more sealing rings or gaskets [20, 124, 1
26, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136 (5th
), 13g, 140.142.144.146 (4th
Rotation fll136.38 in the figure) is provided. In addition, all articulation joints are fitted with sealing caps as required.
For example, cap 150 for articulation joint 38 in FIG. 4, cap 152 for joint 36, cap 154 for joint 34 in FIG.
sealed using.

In the present invention, an articulating joint 32.3 located in a narrow space
4.36.38, it will be appreciated that the scanning probe 2 has the greatest degree of freedom in its immediate range and can be positioned at any spatial position.

Furthermore, it will be understood that the scanning probe 2 is rotatably supported by a rotational pivot axis 32 coinciding with its axis of symmetry. Further, when the scanning probe is a fan-shaped ultrasonic probe, the entire space can be sequentially measured in fan-shaped tomographic planes along the cutting plane using this probe.

When said positioning device l of the invention is combined with a high frequency iJi il wave generator lO having e.g. an elliptical reflector 12, by moving said arm 20 according to the invention The location of the stone is determined using, for example, a fan-shaped ultrasound probe and an echograph, with an accuracy of ±l'mm in a size of 200 mm x 200 mm x 20 mm.
It can be displayed in the 0+nm region. The operator can use the arm 20 to move the probe 2 in all directions in space.

As a result, the arm 20 of the positioning device 1 of the invention can be used to display, for example, the kidney from all angles. Therefore, a complete scan of the kidney can be carried out in the cross-sectional, frontal and transverse sections, and the location of the stone can be determined.

This multidirectional ultrasonic scanning makes it possible to see the state of destruction after a shock wave shot by observing the moving image of the fragments on an echograph.

These technical advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Additionally, the fact that the articulation joint assembly at the second free end 22 of the arm 20 is liquid-tight means that the elliptical reflector 12 may be filled or partially submerged by the elliptical reflector 12. The basic effect is that positioning can be performed even in liquid, water or oil in a surrounding bath.

The present invention provides a non-obvious novel solution to known positioning devices and provides technical advantages not foreseen by those skilled in the art.

Naturally, the present invention includes within its scope technical equivalent means to the above-mentioned means and various combinations thereof. That is, the scanning probe can be replaced by any other device such as a gun for spraying any other medium, such as paint, varnish, cement, etc. This positioning device can be combined with any type of device that does not have sufficient space or where sealing is a problem.

The rotational drive of the element 30 supporting the probe 2 can be effected by rotation means such as m 176 constituting a gear wheel driven in rotation by a drive member (not shown).

Furthermore, a rotation angle detector can be provided at each pivot axis, the measurements of which can be automatically sent to the combination unit and used to determine the exact position of the probe 2 and therefore of the target 18.

This angle detector is described, for example, in Technicare's U.S. Patent No. 4.
It can be made with an angle potentiometer integrated with devices well known to those skilled in the art, such as those described in US Pat. No. 486.114.

Furthermore, each joint (38, 36, 34
) is preferably provided with means such as rotational braking shoes (170, 172, 174).

As a result of the above, the spatial positioning device according to the invention makes it possible to continuously and completely manually process data regarding the spatial position of the probe and the data transmitted from the probe itself, and to process it automatically by a computer. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the basic parts of the nose for spatially positioning a scanning probe according to the present invention used in a device for destroying a target (stone); FIG. 2 is an arrow shown in FIG. 1; 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the positioning device of the present invention viewed from the
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V in FIG. 2, partially broken away. (Main reference numbers) 1. Positioning device, 2. Scanning probe, 10. Pulse generator, 12. Elliptical reflector, 14
...Convenience Store 2 Ichiyo, 16...Display device

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) having an essentially rigid arm having a first end and a second end, said first end being relative to a support frame by at least one pivot axis, preferably at least two pivot axes; An apparatus for positioning a scanning probe in space, wherein the scanning probe is articulated and the scanning probe is mounted on a support element coupled to the second end of the arm by at least two orthogonal pivot axes. said element supporting said scanning probe is coupled to said second end of said arm by an assembly of at least three pivot axes, preferably four pivot axes, arranged orthogonally to each other, said assembly supporting said scanning probe; A device characterized in that it is three-dimensionally arranged so as to occupy a limited spatial volume in the immediate vicinity of a device. (2) The articulation joint at the second end of the arm is sealed against fluids, especially fluids, such that it can be immersed in fluids, especially water or oil.
Positioning device as described in section. (3) The positioning device according to claim 1, wherein four of the pins are arranged at the second end of the arm. (4) a first firmly held at the second end of said arm;
2. Positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot axis is arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the arm. (5) a second pivot axis from a second end of said arm is on a first pivot axis different from a pivot surface of said arm defined by an articulation joint held securely to the first end of said arm; Claim 4 characterized in that the arrangement is in a perpendicular plane.
Positioning device as described in section. (6) A third pivot shaft from the second end of the arm is coupled to the second pivot shaft via a curved coupling element, and the third pivot shaft is connected to the first and second rotation axes. characterized in that it is located substantially outside the defined right-angled elbow and on the same side as the plane of rotation of said arm, and preferably in a plane substantially perpendicular to the arm through which the first pivot axis passes. A positioning device according to claim 5. (7) Preferably, the fourth pivot shaft that is present is a pivot shaft that rotates the scanning probe, and this rotation axis is perpendicular to the rotation plane of the arm, and the first
7. The positioning device according to claim 6, wherein the positioning device is spatially offset from the rotation axis of the pivot shaft. (8) The articulated joint device at the first end of the arm includes a counterweight device that allows the arm to be easily maneuvered and maintained in any position. Positioning device as described in section. (9) The positioning device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotary braking means such as a shoe at each joint in order to maintain the arm at an arbitrary position manually set by the operator. . (10) A tissue comprising at least one positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 9;
High frequency pulse generator for destroying targets such as gallstones and kidney stones.